“I think someone just said it and it stuck. We call ourselves Bronies but I’m not sure about it. We also call girl fans Pegasisters. But sometimes they want to be called Bronies too.”

According to one fan forum, famous Bronies include an Oscar winning film director, actors and singers. Alan, a Brony Society Swansea member, initially had no idea how popular the show was with other blokes.

“I researched the fans at first because I wondered what they were like,” he said. I watched something on the net about what fans did and found out they made content from music and fan art to conventions.”

The biggest of these is America’s BronyCon where fans turn up dressed as their favourite ponies.

“We call them cosplayers where people dress up as their favourite characters,” Alan said. Some people like dressing up as an armoured pony. There is one called Shining Armour.

“Some like to dress up as Shining Armour and some as the princesses from the show. One is called Princess Luna.

“I’m interested in cosplay but I’ve never done it. I’ve thought about it but I have not gone through with it. I don’t have the material. My girlfriend wants to dress up as Rainbow Dash.”

She got into the show after Alan introduced her to it. I thought MLP would be too cutie for her but then she got into it,” he said.

“She could not stop laughing at the show. Now she has got her little brother into it as well.”

Not everyone can see the cartoon’s attraction.

(Image: Media Wales)

“Some people are cool but some of them think it’s not,” Alan said.

“I explain that I love the show because of the animation and voice acting and jokes and characters themselves. It makes us happy and gives us inspiration to do things like create art and music.”

Alan would love to go behind the scenes of My Little Pony.

“My current dream is to meet the people who give me inspiration,” he said. “My Little Pony has helped me through difficult times.

“I was depressed once but when I discovered the show it was a positive influence and gave me the confidence to go and look for a job.

“I’m currently unemployed and have found it difficult to get a job. But My Little Pony makes me positive and gives me inspiration to keep going forward.”

Another fan, writing under the name Lubrony, told how being a Brony helped him “open up”.

“As a ‘lone wolf’ kind of guy, I have battled with depression and loneliness for years, despite being surrounded by loving friends and family,” he revealed. Lubrony, from Cardiff, said he felt “isolated.”

“In a community formed on the simple basis of a children’s TV show, I have finally found a place to express myself.

“It’s taken 17 years, and I really didn’t expect it to be based on My Little Pony, but I couldn’t care less. Against all the odds stacked against a clique so densely populated by teenage males and adults, we have formed, frankly, the single most loving, tolerant, friendly and just plain nice community on the internet.”

Bronies “never argue” he reveals.

“When a Brony is in crisis, we do everything within our power to help them,” Lubrony said.

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As such he’s “proud” to be a Brony.

“I couldn’t care what people think of me for liking a little girl’s show,” he said. Male or female, black or white, gay or straight, everyone here is loved by everyone else.”

Psychologist Dr Victor Thompson says My Little Pony is popular with its male fans because it is “gentle, friendly and encouraging.”

“The ponies help people out, or other ponies out, and they explore the world together,” said the London-based psychologist.

“It can be really interesting to submerge yourself in something where you get direction. The ponies offer contact that gives moral direction or whatever.

“You see the ponies support each other and that’s a nice thing. It’s nice to see that community support and Bronies can imagine a pony is telling them something, whatever it might be.

“The community of the ponies is there for the ponies to support one another and it all ends well,” Dr Thompson added.

“Some people who struggle to navigate the world they can have an escape or they can be helped with the support of an online community.

“If they can spend time watching something fulfilling, even though it may be designed for young girls, what’s wrong with that?”

MLP owners Hasbro refused to discuss its adult fans.

But the My Little Pony website does welcome everyone sating: “Come by any time for fun, friendship and pony adventures.”